Paleeoecology and (periglacial) eolian sediment transfer in the ice-sheet marginal zone of southwestern Greenland (Kangerlussuaq region)

Updated 2001-04-06

The project aims at reconstructing the environmental history in the interior Kangerlussuaq region since deglaciation. Focus is placed on the lacustrine and eolian sediments to decipher climate evolution in terms of temperature, evaporation- precipitation balance and phases of high- wind speed events. The overall objectives are to build a high-resolution (decadal-to-century scale) chronostratigraphic framework for past climate variability from the analysis of organic-rich lake sediments and peat filled basins using a variety of sediment analysis techniques (magnetostratigraphy, grainsize, sedimentfractionation techniques, AMS 14C dating, diatom-, pollen- and macrofossil analysis) and sedimentology. Research activities diatom analysis, pollen analysis, magnetic susceptibility, automated correlation techniques, grainsize, organic chemistry, sediment fractionation techniques, AMS radiocarbon dating, sedimentology, mapping, sediment transport and erosion measurements/monitoring, micro-meteorology, vegetation mapping, pollen rain studies, diatom salinity training sets, limnology

This is not a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project

http://www.frw.ruu.nl

Status: Completed
Project time span: 1994 - 1998
Data collection: not specified
Data processing: not specified
Data reporting: not specified

Contact information

Contact person: N.W. (Ko) Willemse
Address: Department of Physical Geography, the Netherlands Centre for Geo-ecological Research (ICG) Heidelberglaan 2 P.O.Box 80.115 3508 TC Utrecht Netherlands
Phone: +31 30 2534014 (inst) / 2434263 (direct)
Fax: +31 30 2540604
Email: ln.uu.goeg@esmelliw.n
Other project contacts: Visiting address: Vakgroep Fysische Geografie Zonneveldvleugel, Room 006 Van Unnikgebouw Heidelberglaan 2 3584 CS Utrecht-de Uithof and Amsterdamsestraatweg 583bis 3553 EH Utrecht

Parameters and Media

Parameter groups measured/observed/modelled

Climate change effects

Media sampled/studied/modelled

Freshwater sediments

Soil/Humus

Additional information or further specification of types of data / information collected, species / tissues / organs sampled, etc.

Type of data collected: - high-resolution loss on ignition diagrams - pollen diagrams (percentage/influx) - macrofossil diagrams - diatom diagrams - contemporary diatom flora samples - AMS radiocarbon dates - lacustrine sediment colums (multiple lakes from icesheet margin to Sukker-toppenarea - peat profiles - clastic influx diagrams - plot-based aeolian sedimentation monitoring data (3 years) - laquer peel profiles eolian disclosures - eolian sediment distribution maps (loess cover/ sandsheet deposits) - moss-polster samples - small herbarium - lakewater chemistry data

Geography

Regions studied: Climate change effects
Other areas: Southwestern Greenland - Kangerlussuaq region
Stations or areas where observations are made: Kangerlussuaq and Sukkertoppen area, southwestern Greenland (67 deg 05'11" N 50 deg 17'22" W to 66 deg 40'01" N 51deg 58'11" W)

Data availability

Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?: no
If no (or only part of data are reported to a TDC), where and how are (other) data stored?: Data storage: personal databanks Data will be available to other projects from 01-01-2000
References to key publications (or planned publications) and data reports: Willemse (in prep.), Optimizing sampling strategy of homogeneous lake sediment records Willemse (in prep.), The potential of high-resolution lithostratigraphy for paleoclimate records of organogenic Arctic lake sediments Willemse & Törnqvist (in prep.), Holocene Arctic decadal-to-century scale temperature records from West Greenland lake records Willemse, Kostern & Hoogakker (in prep.), Aeolian lithostratigraphy and sedimentation history of the continental West Greenland Inland dunes Willemse & koster (in prep.) Aeolian sedimentation rates and deposition patterns of proglacial dune-fields, West Greenland Willemse, Koster & Borsboom (in prep.), A 1,500 year paleoclimate record of temperature variability vegetation historya and eolian sedimentation from West Greenland

Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?: Yes

Specimen banking information: Specimens/samples will be available to other projects

Methods & Procedures

Not specified

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?: Yes
Other institutes involved in the project: - Geological Survey of Greenland and Denmark (GEUS Kopenhagen/Bennike, Anderson) - Geophysical Institute (Kopenhagen/Greenland Icesheet Program/Johnsen) - INSTAAR (Boulder/USA, Overpeck, Hughen) - NERC-London University/Physical Geography (Batterbee, Jones, Noon) - NITG-TNO (Haarlem, De Wolf)
Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?: The program aims at contributiing to the NSF-PALE (Paleoclimatology of Arctic Lakes and Estuaries) and CAPE (Circum Arctic Paleo Environments) programs